617 Owners, Modifications and Why...

[DS-10-SPEED]

The very first (DS-10-SPEED) loaders I made 9 years ago had equal length pins, some shooters mentioned they were too hard to push. The reason they were changed was the reduce the loading force. I always recommend holding the cylinder when loading even with the new loaders, this takes the pressure off the spring loaded crane screw that can be broken or damaged with repeated excessive force. I do not recommend using equal length pins unless you firmly hold the cylinder while loading. Staggered length push pins reduces the loading force by 50%.

I have 3 617's that work great with speedloaders as far as the rounds going in all the way, they have never had the cylinders reamed. I have heard of some having tight cylinders and heard the finishing reamer fixed the problem.

The reason I mentioned this is that a friend of mine (who shoots his 617 a lot) at my club was using one of my very early loaders with push pins the same length. He holds the revolver grip in his right hand and pushes the loader with his left hand to load. This worked fine for a year or so then he noticed the cylinder and crane moving forward when loading, I told him he should be holding the cylinder when loading. He continued his method until the cylinder crane screw broke and both (cylinder and crane) fell on the floor. By then it was too late and a groove had worn in the crane to where a new screw wouldn't fix the problem. I think he welded the groove and filed it smooth.

That's why I don't recommend modifying my loaders to make the push pins even, they are too hard to push.

Just a quick note:

Tested the push force of my current loader with staggered pins = about 4 lbs to load.
Tested the push force of an aluminum loader with even pins = about 14 lbs to load.

Found an old loader:

Tested the push force of my original loader with even pins = about 13 lbs to load.
Tested the push force of my current loader (lighter spring) with even pins = about 8 lbs to load.

Note that the scale readings are approximate from a postal scale.

 

[1coolcat]

http://smith-wessonforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=153672&stc=1&d=1400289112[/IMG]

Is this process hard to do?. Does it leave chatter marks in the cylinder?..I have a few other 22lr revolver ( there my obsession) that have tight chambers, and if I keep buying them the reamer night get multiple use. Can you list your process
Thank you

 

[Macinaw]

Is this process hard to do?. Does it leave chatter marks in the cylinder?..I have a few other 22lr revolver ( there my obsession) that have tight chambers, and if I keep buying them the reamer night get multiple use. Can you list your process
Thank you

It easy to do. Search the Gun Smith section of this forum. Doesn't leave chatter marks. Leaves chambers smooth. I have reamed two 617's and a 63. I called Manson reamers they said one reamer should be able to ream at least 15 cylinders before sharpening is needed.

 

[R*E]

I put in a Wolff 11# trigger return spring and that's it.

 

[bbqbob51]

Modification: Only if you have sticky extraction problems or are a competition shooter.

Ream the chambers to bring them up to spec. Some leave the mother ship with undersized chambers. Some do not. This is easy to do and has been proven by shooters on the Gun Smith section of this forum. I shoot Steel Challenge twice a month and this modification has helped!

Doing this to my hard to come by and expensive (for me) 617 would make me so nervous. I just don't trust myself not to slip up in some way. So it's a good thing I don't seem to have a problem with the extraction problem others have complained about so I guess I just got lucky.

 

[R*E]

Doing this to my hard to come by and expensive (for me) 617 would make me so nervous. I just don't trust myself not to slip up in some way. So it's a good thing I don't seem to have a problem with the extraction problem others have complained about so I guess I just got lucky.

I have loading and extractions problems with Winchester M22 which are marketed for semiautomatics. I also have problems with ammo that have lead surfaces. Copper plated ammo works much better, but extraction gets a bit stiffer as the round count goes up. I thought about the finish reamer but like you, don't trust myself to do it right.

 

[MJS]

I have loading and extractions problems with Winchester M22 which are marketed for semiautomatics. I also have problems with ammo that have lead surfaces. Copper plated ammo works much better, but extraction gets a bit stiffer as the round count goes up. I thought about the finish reamer but like you, don't trust myself to do it right.

I am not a SME but I read somewhere that some folks tumble their ammo in a brass tumbler to take off the waxy film found on .22 ammo

 

[Macinaw]

I am not a SME but I read somewhere that some folks tumble their ammo in a brass tumbler to take off the waxy film found on .22 ammo

That waxy film is the bullet lube. Not a good idea to remove it.

 

[MJS]

That waxy film is the bullet lube. Not a good idea to remove it.

Good to know, Thanks

 

[SemperFi1]

Here's my 617. All I've done so far is swap out the stock rubber grips for Ahrends Retro Combat grips. They feel so much better and IMHO look pretty darn sharp.



I may put in a lighter rebound spring to soften the DA trigger pull, but not right away. I want to give it some time to soften up on its own...a couple thousand rounds or so.
I also don't care for the black on black sight picture so a reflex red dot sight may be a future possibility as well. I have an UltraDot on my Browning Buckmark and can't say enough good things about it.

 

[gr7070]

I have loading and extractions problems with Winchester M22 which are marketed for semiautomatics. I also have problems with ammo that have lead surfaces. Copper plated ammo works much better, but extraction gets a bit stiffer as the round count goes up.

I have had extractor problems, but only in bulk Winchester. Nothing else. After a couple hundred it starts to stiffen up drastically.

All other bulk, lead or copper, extract just fine, even after a brick or more.

I just quit buying Winchester. Well, I pretty much quit buying all 22, but not by choice.

 

[David Sinko]

My 617-1 has an action job by Behlert Precision. The Patridge front sight was replaced with a serrated ramp at the same time, mostly to facilitate fast drawing from a holster. I never shot it much. Now that I think of it, I haven't shot it in quite a few years. I prefer the J Frame rimfires.

Dave Sinko

 

[R*E]

I have had extractor problems, but only in bulk Winchester. Nothing else. After a couple hundred it starts to stiffen up drastically.

All other bulk, lead or copper, extract just fine, even after a brick or more.

I just quit buying Winchester. Well, I pretty much quit buying all 22, but not by choice.

I happened upon almost 3,000 rounds of the M22 that by 617 doesn't like. I'll shoot it when my copper plated stuff in gone, it's not like I have much of a choice these days.

eta: I put 200 rds of Federal bulk 36 gr copper plated rds through my 617 yesterday and it was flawless with easy loading and extraction. I stopped shooting because it started raining.

 

[MR.G]

Polished the internals, Wolf springs, and some good lube.

 

[one eye joe]

I HEAR YA, gr7070 AND R*E. THE 10 SHOT 617s COLLECT GUMMY GRIME IN AND AROUND THE TOPS OF THE CHAMBERS AND THE EXTRACTOR STAR, ETC. WHEN USING LEAD NOSED LUBED AMMO. THE HEAVIER THE LUBE, THE WORSE THE PROBLEM. EVENTUALLY EXTRACTION AND SEATING BECOMES A CHORE. COPPER PLATED / WASHED BULLETS SEEM TO ALLEVIATE THE PROBLEM SOMEWHAT. THE PROXIMITY OF ALL THOSE HOLES ACT LIKE A LARGE TRAP FOR RESIDUE. THE 6 SHOTS ARE MUCH MORE RESISTANT TO ACCUMULATING FOULING, AND CAN GO FOR MUCH LONGER BULLET COUNTS W/O A PROBLEM. THERE IS ACTUALLY A BIG DIFFERENCE BETWEEN THEM, WITH THIS ISSUE. I HAVE THE 4 INCH 10 SHOOTER THAT I POSTED ABOVE AND A 6 SHOT NO DASH 8 3/8 INCH WITH A RED DOT, THAT SHOOTS LIKE A RIFLE. I SHY AWAY FROM SHOOTING THE 4 INCH UNLESS NECESSARY, BECAUSE I LOVE THE ACCURACY AND EASE OF MAINTENANCE OF THE LONGER GUN. MY FAVORITE ROUND IS CCI 40 GRAIN, COPPER PLATED MINI MAG, WHEN I CAN GET IT. IT SEEMS TO SHOOT THE CLEANEST…...

 

[nsl]

I've got a 617-6 6" that I bought new and haven't really been happy with it.

Sent it back twice because of spitting, accuracy, POI, and canted barrel problems.

It is now pretty straight, and shoots tight, but I still had to move the rear sight over to keep from shooting to the right.

I've entertained the idea of sending it off and having a 3" barrel with a dovetailed front sight put on, but was avised by some here not to do it.

So, I've been thinking of trying one of those Fastfire or similar reflex sights. Something as small as possible.

How well do those sights work?

 

[PINMAN]

Custom, light weight Steel Challenge 617's

Have been building these for the past year. Quick to start and stop on transitions. No recoil. I've finished 9 so far, 3 limited and 4 open. Finally got one for myself. Trying to find 617's to work on is difficult.
Hope you enjoy.
Keep Shootin'

 

[S&W1006]

Have been building these for the past year. Quick to start and stop on transitions. No recoil. I've finished 9 so far, 3 limited and 4 open. Finally got one for myself. Trying to find 617's to work on is difficult.
Hope you enjoy.
Keep Shootin'

I love both of those. I would love to have one.

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I727 using Tapatalk

 

[MJS]

Have been building these for the past year. Quick to start and stop on transitions. No recoil. I've finished 9 so far, 3 limited and 4 open. Finally got one for myself. Trying to find 617's to work on is difficult.
Hope you enjoy.
Keep Shootin'

Wow!! Nice work! do you have a web site?

 

[PINMAN]

Custom 6117's

Thank you for the kind words. Yes, I have a shop and web site.
BC Armory Pistolsmith Gunsmith
I've been busy with some different prototypes, moving up from rimfire to centerfires. I built a mdl. 64 lightweight for shooting steel using an aluminum shrouded tension barrel and cutting the cylinder back for wadcutters and short colt ammo. Shot it at the PSA steel shootout in PA. and sold it to another shooter there.
My next project will be doing the lightweight barrel on a 627 in 38 super.
Thanks for looking and
Keep Shootin'